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UBDAIWOfPRINCEtpN 

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THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


3-2-9. /i>-8 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Presented  by2>  r'c2^(SV-\oyf;S  . C>^^\DVD(£\\ 


Division 


Section 


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India 


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V 


INDIA. 


ILLUSTRA  TED. 


NEW  YORK : 

DODD,  MEAD  & COMPANY, 


PUBIilSHERS. 


COPVRIGMT, 

»y  DOrr>,  MEAD  & COMPANI^ 
1879. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


1.  A Bhestie  or  Water-caiTier frontispiecb. 

2.  Jac  Tree page  y 

3.  A Brahmin II 

4.  Hindoos  14 

5.  Hindoo  Girls,  High  Caste 15 

6.  Hand  Prayer  Mill 25 

7.  Water  Prayer  Mill 27 

8.  Burning  Ghaut 29 

9.  Parsee  33 

10.  Fakirs 36 

11.  A Fakir 3* 

12.  Banyan  Tree 43 

13.  A Bungalow 46 

14.  A Water  Carrier  48 

15.  Native  Huts 49 


6 LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PACK 

1 6.  Bullock  Gany 52 

# 

7.  A Palanquin 53 

iS.  Travellers’  Bungalow 55 

19.  Thatched  Boat 57 

20.  Bonabay  One-man  Cart 58 

21.  Sail  Boat  of  Malabar 59 

22.  Indian  Railways 6l 

23.  The  Cobra 6.3 

2^  Serpent  Charmer 65 

2s  The  Himalayas  71 

2b  A Himalaya  Bridge 74 

?/.  Street  in  Calcutta,  European  Quarters 77 

^8.  Street  in  Calcutta,  Native  Quarters 79 

29.  Cyclone  on  the  Hoogly 81 

*A  A Street  Barber 85 

31.  The  Ganges  at  Benares 88 

32.  Benares 91 

33.  Street  in  Benares  93 

34.  I nterior  of  Taj  at  Agra  98 

35.  A Rebel  Camp IC5 

6 Scene  of  the  Massacre  at  Cawnpore 109 


INDIA. 


OTRETCHING 

southward  far 
into  the  Indian 
Ocean  lies  the  pen- 
insula of  India,  the 
great  eastern  em- 
pire of  England. 
The  kin  gdoms  of 
Europe,  France, 
Spain,  Germany, 
all  sink  into  insig- 
nificance beside  it 
jAc  TREE.  It  is  larger  than 

them  all  put  together.  Its  greatest  length 
north  and  south  and  its  greatest  breadth  east 


8 


/NDIA. 


and  west,  are  over  eighteen  hundred  miles  *. 
while  it  has  a coast  line  of  over  four  thou- 
sand miles. 

When  we  come  to  examine  the  country 
itself,  we  find  that  everything  is  on  a scale 
proportioned  to  its  vast  size.  It  has  three 
great  rivers  over  a thousand  miles  in  length,  it 
has  vast  deserts  covered  with  arid  sands,  it 
has  mountain  peaks  whose  summits  are  white 
with  everlasting  snows,  while  all  its  vast 
plains  are  peopled  with  a swarming  multitude. 
In  this  country  there  are  five  times  as  many 
souls  as  in  the  United  States,  or  over  two 
hundred  millions.  Of  what  races  this  host 
is  made  up,  we  shall  proceed  to  see. 

Many  centuries  before  the  Christian  era, 
vast  hordes  came  from  the  north-west  of  Asia, 
and  driving  out  the  inhabitants  of  India  over- 
ran and  settled  the  land.  Of  the  conquered 


INDIA. 


9 


race  some  few  descendants  have  survived,  and 
may  be  found  in  parts  of  the  country  to-day, 
but  they  are  the  lowest  in  point  of  intelli- 
gence of  all  its  inhabitants,  and  but  little 
better  than  animals.  Their  new  masters,  the 
Hindoos,  soon  acquired  great  wealth  and 
power,  and  reigned  for  many  centuries  undis- 
turbed. The  Institutes  of  Manu,  as  they  are 
called,  written  in  the  ninth  century  before 
Christ,  are  a code  of  civil  laws,  which  were, 
however,  believed  to  have  all  the  weight 
of  the  most  holy  inspiration.  From  them 
we  learn  the  social  condition  of  the  people  at 
this  time.  According  to  these  all  Hindoos 
are  divided  into  four  classes: 

Brahmins,  who  sprang  from  the  head  of 
Brahma,  to  whom  the  priestly  office  belonged. 

Kshatriyas,  who  sprang  from  the  shoulders 
of  Brahma,  and  who  are  the  warrior  class. 


lO 


INDIA. 


Vaisyas,  who  sprang  from  the  loins  of 
Brahma — this  class  included  all  merchants 
lawyers,  doctors,  etc. 

Sudras,  who  sprang  from  the  feet  of 
Brahma — the  followers  of  all  such  trades  as 
were  forbidden  to  the  classes  above  them. 

Did  any  man  belong  to  any  one  of  these 
classes,  it  was  the  will  of  God  that  had 
placed  him  there  ; to  attempt  to  change  his 
condition  would  be  impious.  Each  class  was 
fenced  in  with  all  manner  of  regulations.  To 
the  Brahmins  belonged  the  interpretation  of 
tlie  holy  books,  and  we  may  well  believe  that 
they  so  interpreted  them  as  to  confirm  them- 
selves in  power.  To  touch  a Brahmin  was 
death  ; to  render  him  assistance  was  sufficient 
atonement  for  almost  any  sin. 

The  Institutes  of  Manu  declare  that  he 
'‘who  barely  assaults  a Brahmin  with  intent  to 


INDIA. 


1 1 

hurt  him,  shall  be  whirled  about  for  a century 
in  hell.  Never  shall  a king  slay  a Brahmin, 
though  convicted  of  all  possible  crimes  ; let 
him  banish  the  offender  from  his  realm,  but 


BRAHMIN. 

with  all  his  property  secure,  and  his  body  un- 
h lit.  A Brahmin,  whether  learned  or  ignorant, 
is  a pow’erfu!  divinity,  even  as  fire  is  a powder- 
ful  divinity,  whether  consecrated  or  popular.’ 


12 


INDIA. 


Two  per  cent,  interest  only  could  be 
asked  from  them  on  loans.  They  were  not 
allowed  to  obtain  wealth  except  by  intel- 
lectual means,  though  they  could  receive 
presents,  and  as  to  them  belonged  the  power 
of  blessing  and  cursing,  we  can  easily  fancy 
that  they  did  not  fall  into  poverty.  To  the 
three  higher  classes  belonged  the  title,  “ twice 
born,”  but  to  the  poor  Sudra  belonged 
neither  title  nor  wealth — it  was  the  will  of 
God  that  he  should  be  ever  a servant,  and 
in  beggary. 

Such  was  the  composition  of  Indian 
society,  and  such  it  remained  till  nearly  the 
seventh  century,  when  the  Mohammedans 
began  to  attack  the  country  on  its  north- 
western border,  and  after  varying  successes 
carried  on  through  several  centuries,  at  last 
obtained  the  mastery,  and  ground  down  the 


INDIA. 


13 


poor  Hindoos  beneath  them.  For  a thousand 
years  they  ruled,  until  finally  the  East  India 
Company,  incorporated  by  the  English^  gov- 
ernment, which  had  gained  a foothold  in  the 
land,  gradually  brought  it  all  under  the 
English  sway. 

Modern  Indian  society  is  therefore  com- 
posed of  many  discordant  elements,  Hindoos 
and  Mohammedans,  each  in  turn  conquerors 
and  conquered,  unite  in  hating  the  English. 
The  laws  of  caste  which  the  code  of  Manu 
laid  down,  are  still  as  rigorously  enforced 
as  in  his  days  nine  hundred  years  before 
Christ,  but  in  the  twenty-seven  centuries 
that  have  passed  since  then,  they  have  be- 
come much  complicated  and  somewhat 
changed.  The  Sudra  is  now  no  longer  a 
beggar,  he  may  be  a wealthy  merchant,  but 
his  social  position  is  not  one  particle  raised, 


INDIA 


and  the  Brahmin  may  be  poor  and  perhaps 
occupy  a menial  position,  but  he  is  none 
the  less  “ twice  born.”  A recent  traveller 
tells  of  how  in  Calcutta  he  saw  a wealthy 
Sudra  merchant  who  had  in  his  employ  a 
Brahmin  as  porter,  but  the  rich  man  could 


HINDOOS. 

never  pass  his  servant  without  a gesture 
denoting  the  greatest  deference.  No  crime 
can  cause  one  to  lose  his  rank.  Only  in  one 
way  can  this  be  done,  by  eatwig  with  one 
of  another  class  or  by  violating  some  similar 


INDIA. 


15 


ceremonial  law.  The  ofTender  does  not  de- 
scend in  rank,  but  becomes  an  outcast,  de- 
spised alike  by  every  one,  and  shunned  by 
every  one,  for  he  who  should  receive  him 


HINDOO  GIRLS  {High  Casft'). 

would  himself  become  an  outcast.  The  saiiu 
traveller  tells  us  that  while  in  India  a high 
caste  Hindoo  was  present  at  an  entertainment 


i6 


INDIA. 


given  by  some  Europeans,  and  partook  of 
some  food  in  their  presence.  For  this  he 
lost  caste,  and  only  regained  it  after  paying 
a heavy  fine,  humbling  himself  before  an 
idol  with  presents  and  performing  other  de- 
grading offices.  There  is  not  a Hindoo  in  all 
India  who  would  not  consider  that  he  had 
lost  caste  by  eating  with  any  sovereign  of 
Europe. 

One  of  the  greatest  agents  in  breaking 
up  the  system  of  caste  is  the  railways.  The 
Indians  are  fond  of  travel,  and  sooner  than 
undergo  the  delays  of  the  days  when  rail- 
ways were  not  known,  they  put  their  pre- 
judice aside,  and  the  Brahmin,  who  formerly 
thought  it  pollution  to  have  a Sudra  sit  upon 
the  same  mat,  may  be  seen  quietly  sitting 
beside  him  in  the  cars. 

India  is  especially  the  home  of  strange 


INDIA. 


n 

gods,  for  the  Hindoos  are  worshippers  of 
many  idols.  In  the  single  Presidency  of  Bom- 
bay are  over  twenty  thousand  idol  temples, 
while  it  is  said  that  in  all  India  the  deities 
and  objects  considered  sacred,  amount  in 
number  to  nearly  thirty  million. 

Our  only  way  to  explain  how  all  this 
superstition  came,  is  to  go  back  to  far  dis- 
tant ages,  and  see  what  the  earliest  records 
tell  us  of  the  primitive  religion  of  the  people. 
We  find  then,  that  many  hundred  centuries 
before  Christ,  there  was  believed  to  be  one 
God,  Brahme,  who  was  all  powerful.  At  the 
present  day  the  educated  Hindoo  believes 
in  this  god  as  superior  to  all  the  many 
thousands  worshipped.  His  attributes  were 
Brahma,  the  creative  power — Vishnu,  the 
preserving  power — and  Siva,  the  destroying 
power.  It  was  but  a short  time  before  these 


18 


INDIA. 


attributes  became  separate  gods.  Hindoo 
imagination  made  each  of  them  real  persons  • 
it  gave  them  wives  who  became  goddesses, 
to  be  worshipped,  and  sons  and  daughters 
to  become  a new  race  of  heavenly  beings  to 
whom  divine  honors  should  be  paid.  Vishnu, 
they  tell  us,  ten  times  took  the  form  of  man, 
and  each  form  in  which  he  appeared  is  rev- 
erenced as  a god. 

Then,  seeing  that  matter  could  not  be  de- 
stroyed, for  instance  that  wood  when  burned 
did  not  disappear,  but  only  changed  its  form, 
they  looked  on  matter  as  eternal,  and  wor- 
shipped it.  There  is  a fire-god  Agni,  while 
water  is  perhaps  the  most  prominent  element 
in  the  Hindoo  religion.  The  Ganges  is  an 
object  of  double  worship  since,  in  addition  to 
its  divine  character,  it  is  especially  holy,  as  it 
sprang  from  the  head  of  the  god  Vishnu 


INDIA. 


*5 


The  sacred  stream  is  never  without  its  thou- 
sands of  worshippers,  who  hasten  to  wash 
away  all  sin  in  its  purifying  waters.  From 
the  indestructibility  of  matter  they  soon 
argued  that  the  soul  could  not  be  destroyed, 
but  that  it  must  pass  on  for  endless  ages 
entering  either  the  body  of  man  or  of  anima. 
Some  sects  even  go  so  far  as  to  wear  over 
their  mouths  a cloth  lest  they  may  breathe 
in  some  insect  and  thus  perhaps  destroy  a 
former  friend  or  relative,  while  others  carry 
long  brushes  with  which  they  carefully  sweep 
the  ground  behnv  them,  lest  an  unfortunate 
step  should  crush  a soul.  With  such  views 
it  mav'  be  imaijincd  that  thev  look  with  hor- 

^ o ^ 

ror  on  eating  animal  food.  The  heavens 
were  worshipped  and  many  individual  stars, 
while  the  sun  was  a mighty  ;^od.  One  sect 
iKver  eat  in  the  morning'  until  they  have 


30 


INDIA. 


worshipped  him,  and  always  fast  while  he  is 
hidden  behind  the  clouds.  The  seasons  of 
the  year,  coming  with  unfailing  regularity 
seemed  to  them  divine,  and  the  reproductive 
power  of  Nature,  under  the  emblem  of  the 
Lingam,  has  more  worshippers  than  any  other 
god  in  India.  Sometimes  the  gods  were 
symbolized  by  animals.  Thus  Laksmi,  the 
wife  of  Vishnu,  is  represented  by  the  cow' — 
Vishnu  by  the  fish,  and  so  on.  and  thus  these 
animals  became  gods.  The  story  is  told  of 
a devout  Brahmin  w^ho  had  wandered  as  far 
north  from  his  country  as  St.  Petersburg,  and 
who  w'as  seen  watching  a number  of  boys 
fishing.  When  any  fish  w'as  caught,  he  has- 
tened to  buy  it,  and  reverentially  returned 
it  to  the  water.  Trees  are  w'orshipped,  and 
often  what  seem  to  the  foreigner  but  pol- 
ished stones,  to  the  natives’  mind  are 


INDIA. 


ai 


emblems  of  their  gods,  "i  o the  Brahmins 
belongs  the  right  of  performing  all  the  offices 
connected  with  the  temples  and  worship  of 
these  many  gods,  and  to  them  alone  is  to  be 
laid  the  sin  of  this  idolatry.  It  has  been 
devised  and  in  every  respect  is  arranged  to 
benefit  them  at  the  expense  of  the  millions 
whom  they  keep  in  ignorance. 

The  festivals  of  these  gods  and  goddesses 
are  celebrated  with  great  splendor  and  with 
varying  rites.  The  cruel  goddess,  Kali,  is 
supposed  to  be  especially  delighted  with  hu- 
man suffering,  and  her  devotees  practise  upon 
themselves  all  manner  of  cruelties,  cutting" 
themselves  with  knives  and  even  swinging  in 
air  by  means  of  a hook  thrust  through  the 
fieshy  part  o^  the  back. 

On  her  Itars,  before  the  strong  arm  ol 
the  English  rule  intervened,  human  victims 


>2 


INDIA. 


were  offered,  and  this  fearful  goddess,  repre- 
sented by  a statue  surrounded  with  serpents, 
her  long  hair  erect  and  her  four  hands  each 
holding  a dissevered  human  head,  was  satis- 
fied only  with  the  blood  of  young  men  in  the 
prime  of  life.  Before  the  victim  was  struck 
down,  the  priest  saluted  the  statue,  crjdng : 
“ Hail,  Kali,  goddess  of  thunder,  iron  scep- 
tred, hail,  fierce  Kali,  cut,  cut,  slay,  destroy, 
drink  blood  ! destroy,  destroy  ! ” Hardly  less 
fearful  were  the  rites  of  Juggernaut.  An  eye- 
witness of  the  festival  of  this  god  in  the  days 
when  the  East  India  Company  ruled,  gives  a 
vivid  picture  of  it.  For  miles  before  he 
reached  the  spot,  the  road  was  thronged 
with  pilgrims,  thousands  in  number.  At  the 
appointed  time  the  idol  was  brought  from  the 
temple,  and  placed  upon  an  enormous  car 
sixty  feet  in  height,  to  which  six  long  cables 


INDIA. 


*3 


were  attached,  by  which  it  was  to  be  drawn. 
Thousands  seized  the  cables  and  dragged  the 
huge  car,  which  moved  slowly  on,  the  priests 
and  attendants  of  the  god  standing  upon  it,  to 
the  number  of  one  hundred  and  twenty.  The 
hideous  idol  was  set  high  above  all,  a black 
and  grinning  face  with  bloody  mouth,  its  body 
dressed  in  gaudy  colors.  Presently,  a pilgrim 
announced  that  he  was  ready  to  offer  himself 
a sacrifice.  Throwing  himself  upon  the 
ground,  the  huge  mass  passed  ever  him,  leav- 
ing only  a flattened  corpse.  The  body,  after 
lying  exposed  for  a time,  was  taken  up  and 
carelessly  cast  aside,  to  be  devoured  by 
jackals. 

The  great  car  of  Juggernaut  is  still 
brought  forth  on  festival  days,  but  human 
sacrifices  are  no  longer  allowed,  and  the  great 
mass  is  surrounded  with  police  to  prevent 


INDIA. 


«4 

the  people  throwing  themselves  beneath  itj 
wheels.  At  intervals  they  manage  to  do  this, 
and  then  it  is  astonishing  to  see  men  who 
court  this  fearful  death  and  are  not  afraid  to 
be  crushed  beneath  the  grinding  mass,  leap 
up  and  take  refuge  in  flight  among  the  crowd 
as  the  lash  of  the  police  falls  upon  their  backs 
But  we  should  be  giving  a very  false  idea 
of  Hindoo  religion  did  we  say  that  only  such 
rites  as  these  were  celebrated.  A very  differ- 
ent spectacle  is  seen  at  the  festival  of  Vasanti, 
the  goddess  of  spring,  which  extends  ovei 
forty  days.  Here  all  give  themselves  up  to 
enjoyment  and  revelry  in  very  much  the  same 
way  as  at  the  Carnival  of  Rome.  Crowds 
throng  the  streets  in  masks  and  throw  at  each 
other  light  bags  filled  with  a crimson  powdei 
which  breaks  and  scatters  over  all.  Numer- 
ous games  are  introduced,  and  in  the  general 


INDIA. 


merriment  a pait  of  the  distinctions  of  r ./■ 
is  overlooked. 

These  gods  and  festivals  are  not  held  in 


H'lND  PRAYER-MILL. 


equal  honor  in  all  parts  of  India.  One  great 
deity  who  is  an  object  of  special  worship  in 


INDIA. 


»6 

one  section  may  be  held  in  slight  esteem 
ill  another,  and  a festival  in  which  all  join  in 
Northern  India  may  be  almost  unheard-of 
in  Southern  India. 

For  instance,  among  the  Himalayas  they 
worship  gods  unknown  in  other  parts  of  the 
country,  whom  they  think  can  only  be  ap- 
peased by  constant  prayer.  As  to  offer  this 
would  be  beyond  the  ability  of  man,  they 
have  fashioned  a little  machine  which  shall 
pray  for  them,  and  which  the  priests  and 
many  of  the  people  carry  about  with  them 
in  their  hands.  It  consists,  as  may  be  seen 
from  the  picture,  of  a circular  box,  which  is 
made  to  revolve  by  the  motion  of  the  hand, 
and  inside  of  which  is  a paper  whereon  is 
written  a prayer  for  the  six  classes  of  living 
creatures,  “ the  souls  in  heaven,  the  evil 
spirits  in  the  air,  men,  animals,  souls  in 


INDIA 


27 


purgatory,  and  souls  in  hell.”  On  the  outer 
^’nface  of  the  machine  is  inscribed  O mane 


WATER  PRAYER-MILLS. 


pad  me  han  (to  him  of  the  I.otus  and  th< 


28 


INDIA. 


jewel),”  who  is  supposed  to  be  so  well 
pleased  with  worship  of  this  kind,  that  these 
machines  are  often  made  on  a large  scale 
and  kept  turning  day  and  night  by  water- 
power like  a'mill  wheel. 

The  Hindoos  alwa\’s  burn  the  bodies  of 
the  dead,  and  it  is  a common  thing  for  the 
traveller  to  see  at  night,  as  he  approaches 
a city,  the  flames  and  smoke  arising  from  the 
funeral  pyres  of  the  departed.  Formerly  the 
widow  always  threw  herself  into  the  flames 
and  perished  with  her  husband.  I'his  prac- 
tice has  been  almost  entirely  stopped  by  the 
government — all  concerned  in  such  a case 
being  considered  as  murderers-~but  it  is  still 
occasionally  done.  No  doubt,  part  of  the 
impulse  which  prompts  a woman  thus  to 
sacrifice  herself  is  a religious  one,  but  a great 
share  is  doubtless  due  to  the  wretched  lot  to 


INDIA. 


8* 


which  a widow  is  doomed.  “ From  the  day 
of  the  death  of  her  husband  commence  her 
sufferings  and  privations.  She  is  made  to  . 
employ  herself  in  devotional  austerities  which 
know  no  end.  Her  appearance  on  all  joyous 
occasions  is  considered  a bad  omen.  Even 
at  the  marriage  ceremony  of  her  brothers 
and  sisters  she  cannot  take  an  honorable 
place  or  join  other  females  who,  because 
their  husbands  are  living,  can  enjoy  all  the 
reasonable  freedom  and  pleasures  o*f  life. 
The  Hindoos  invariably  consider  it  an 
auspicious  omen  to  come  across  the  wife  of 
I living  husband  when  they  leave  home  for 
the  accomplishment  of  an  intended  purpose, 
but  if  they  happen  to  come  across  a widow 
they  despair  of  success,  and  proceed  with 
reluctance,  or  return  to  curse  the  widow. 
She  cannot  talk  familiarly  with  her  dearest 


39 


INDIA. 


and  nearest  relatives.  Among  the  Brahmins 
her  diet  is  rigidly  regulated.  She  is  welcome 
to  a meal  only  once  a day,  and  she  must 
content  herself  with  some  unwholesome  eat- 
ables in  the  evening  merely  to  prevent  the 
cravings  of  hunger.  To  be  brief,  the  widow 
lives  a life  of  toil  and  mortification.  From 
morn  to  eve,  she  has  something  or  other 
to  do.  Domestic  drudgery  is  her  inseparable 
doom.  If  she  is  able  to  read,  she  may  spend 
a leisure  which  is  short  and  hard-earned  in 
the  perusal  of  a potJicc  containing  tales  in 
honor  of  some  of  the  Hindoo  gods.” 

Besides  the  worshippers  of  Hindoo  gods 
are  many  of  other  religions.  The  Mussulmans 
come  next  in  number  and  are  of  course  fol- 
lowers of  Mohammed.  Their  mosques, 
capped  with  the  graceful  dome  rising  above 
the  houses  of  the  cities,  are  seen  from  far  and 


INDIA. 


33 


are  much  more  beautiful  than  the  small  and 
dirty  temples  of  the  Hindoos.  Perhaps  one 
great  reason  for  this  disparity  may  be  found 
in  the  fact  that  when  the  Mohammedans 
conquered  the  country  they  destroyed  the 


THE  PARSEE. 


Hindoo  temples,  using  the  material  for  the 
erection  of  their  own.  Besides  these  are  the 
Paibces,  found  principally  in  and  about 
Bombay,  who  are  comparatively  small  in 
numbers,  but  important  on  account  of  their 
jreat  success  in  business.  They  are  followers 


34 


INDIA. 


of  Zoroaster,  and  are  called  fire-worshippers. 
They  reverence  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  and 
may  often  be  seen  at  sunset  prostrate  on  the 
seashore,  praying  to  the  departing  king  of  day 
Fire. is  held  in  reverence  by  them,  and  in 
their  temples  is  a flame  kept  burning,  which 
they  claim  has  never  been  extinguished.  Of 
course  the  upper  classes  regard  fire  only  as 
the  emblem  of  an  all-creating  power,  but  with 
the  lower  class  it  is  to  be  feared  that  worship 
does  not  go  beyond  the  emblem,  and  that 
fire  itself  is  their  god. 

In  the  disposal  of  their  dead,  they  have  a 
custom  which  is  particularly  revolting.  Their 
cemetery  is  at  a little  distance  from  the  city, 
upon  a hill.  From  this  rise  several  circulai 
towers  called  Towers  of  Silence,  fifty  oi 
sixty  feet  in  height,  their  interior  a hollow 
well.  Across  the  top  of  these  towers  are 


INDIA. 


35 


placed  gratings,  on  which  the  bodies  of  the 
dead  are  exposed.  The  vultures  soon  de- 
scend and  devour  the  flesh,  while  the  bones 
fall  through  the  grating  into  a common  pile 
below. 

An  outgrowth  of  all  these  superstitions  is 
the  class  called  Fakirs,  who  affect  great  holi- 
ness and  are  held  in  the  greatest  reverence 
by  all.  Their  holiness  is  of  a peculiar  charac- 
ter, and  is  not  attended  with  that  cleanliness 
which  is  generally  believed  to  be  akin  to  it. 
In  their  appearance  they  are  most  repulsive 
and  filthy,  but  this  in  the  eyes  of  their  wor- 
shippers is  but  a fresh  claim  for  reverence. 
Some  make  it  their  business  to  carry  the 
sacred  water  of  the  Ganges  to  sprinkle  upon 
the  altars  of  distant  temples ; others  excite 
reverence  by  bodily  tortures.  All  this  is  very 
profitable,  for  the  gifts  of  the  people  are  gem 


36 


INDIA. 


erous,  since  they  are  prompted  by  fear  of 
offending  these  holy  men.  At  all  sacred  fes- 


FAKIRS, 

tivals  these  fakirs  assemble  in  great  num.bers. 
Here  will  be  one  whose  arm  is  withered  and 


INDIA, 


37 


dead,  from  being  held  above  the  head  mo 


A FAKIR. 

tionless  for  many  years: — here  another  whose 
nails  have  grown  through  the  palm  of  his 


38 


INDIA. 


clenched  hand.  Another  has  come  from  a 
lon^  distance  and  has  measured  the  weary 
road  by  lying  at  full  length  upon  every  part 
of  it,  like  some  great  creeping  worm.  On  all 
such  occasions  it  generally  happens  that  some 
one,  by  the  ingenuity  with  which  his  torture 
is  devised,  will  obtain  a higher  degree  of  sanc- 
tity than  his  fellows.  On  a recent  occasion 
this  was  gained  by  one  who  hung  himself  by 
the  feet,  head  downward,  from  the  limb  of  a 
tree  for  several  hours  each  day. 

A still  greater  torture  was  undergone  by 
one  who  submitted  to  the  ordeal  of  five 
fires.  Taking  his  place  upon  a raised  plat- 
form, four  fires  were  lighted  about  him, 
each  large  enough  to  roast  an  ox,  while  the 
blazing  tropical  sun  beat  upon  his  head 
In  the  centre  of  all  this  he  stood  on  one 
leg,  occasionally  casting  oil  upon  the  flames 


INDIA. 


39 


from  a small  vessel  which  he  held  in  his 
hand.  Then,  reversing  his  position,  he 
stood  motionless  upon  his  head  with  his 
feet  in  the  air,  for  three  hours.  Forty  days, 
from  sunrise  to  sunset,  he  underwent  this 
torture,  while  the  superstitious  crowd  paid 
him  the  reverence  due  to  a god. 

Europeans  who  have  lived  in  India,  all 
agree  that  it  is  not  so  much  the  hope  of  the 
instant  entrance  into  heaven,  which  their 
religion  promises  these  devotees  at  death, 
as  the  admiration  and  worship  of  the  igno- 
rant, that  prompts  them  to  these  sufferings 
and  that  as  a class  these  Fakirs  are  thorough 


<naves. 


CHAPTER  II. 


vve  come  to  speak  of  the 
productions  of  India,  we  find  it 
almost  easier,  to  tell  what  it  does  not  pro- 
duce than  what  it  does.  As  almost  none 
of  its  great  population  eat  animal  food, 
grain  of  course  must  be  raised  in  immense 
quantities.  Wheat  and  rice  are  the  staple 
articles  of  food,  while  fruits,  such  as  the 
banana,  cocoanut,  mango,  etc.,  are  produced 
in  the  greatest  variety  and  in  endless  num- 
bers. An  enormous  business  is  done  in 
opium,  which  is  sold  to  the  Chinese  markets, 
carrying  destruction  with  it.  Nearly  sixty 
million  dollars’  worth  a year  are  exported 
We  are  accustomed  to  think  with  horror  of 


INDIA. 


4» 

the  destruction  of  body  and  soul  by  alcohol, 
but  this  is  as  nothing  compared  with  the 
ruin  that  opium  effects.  Its  preparation  is 
a matter  of  great  care.  When  the  growing 
poppy  heads  have  reached  the  size  of  a 
hen’s  egg,  each  one  is  wounded  with  a little 
saw-like  instrument.  From  the  wound  the 
milky  juice  of  the  plant  oozes  out,  and  on 
the  following  day  is  carefully  collected.  It 
is  now  carefully  dried  by  exposure  to  the 
air,  then  thrown  into  vats  and  kneaded 
into  balls  and  cakes,  then  again  dried,  and 
packed  in  chests  and  is  ready  for  the  mark(^t. 

Indigo,  too,  is  a very  important  product 
The  plants  grow  to  a height  of  three  or 
four  feet,  and  when  in  blossom  are  cut  and 
laid  in  cisterns.  Heavy  weights  are  placed 
upon  them  to  keep  them  in  position,  and 
the  cisterns  are  filled  with  water.  Ferment 


<2 


INDIA. 


ation  soon  begins,  and  the  water  is  one 
mass  of  rising  bubbles.  After  a time  the 
water  is  drawn  off.  The  indigo  in  solution 
in  it  settles,  and  being  removed,  is  dried  and 
prepared  for  the  market. 

Rich  as  is  the  vegetable  growth,  the  trees 
of  India  are  equally  magnificent.  The  Ban- 
yan tree,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  illustration, 
has  the  power  of  sending  down  from  its 
branches  roots  to  the  ground,  while  the  tree 
continues  to  spread  in  every  direction.  A 
single  tree  in  this  way  becomes  almost  a 
forest.  There  is  one  such  where  the  parent 
stem  having  died,  an  idol  temple  has  been 
erected  in  its  place,  and  stands  surrounded 
on  every  side  by  the  wide-spreading  grove. 
Near  Bombay  there  is  a tree  whose  branches 
are  so  long  that  .their  weight  has  brought 
tlie  ends  to  the  ground,  thus  forming  a huge 


INDIA. 


45 


I tent  in  which  a thousand  people  might  camp 
I with  comfort.  The  graceful  cocoanut  too,  is 

I 

! everywhere  seen,  its  tall  head  rising  above  its 
lower  brethren.  At  Bombay  is  annually  cele- 
j brated  the  feast  of  the  Full  Moon  of  the 
Cocoanuts,  lasting  two  days.  It  takes  place 
near  the  end  of  September,  ana  as  the  ma- 
jority of  the  people  there  gain  their  living 
in  part  or  wholly  from  the  sea,  throngs  attend 
it.  Coming  to  the  seashore  or  wading  out 
into  the  waves,  each  casts  into  the  water 
two  or  three  cocoanuts  as  a peace-offering, 
thus  hoping  that  the  sea  may  be  kind  to 
him  in  the  coming  year  and  accepting  his  gift 
may  protect  him  from  evil.  The  whole  bay 
ie  sometimes  covered  with  these  cocoanuts. 

Owing  to  the  excessive  heat  of  India 
great  care  has  to  be  taken  by  European 
residents  to  avoid  exposure  to  it  Nearly 


46 


INDIA, 


all  business  is  transacted  in  the  early  morn 
ing.  In  the  garrisons  all  drill  is  over  by  nine 
o’clock,  and  all  labor  is  postponed  till  the 


sun  is  low  in  the  heavens.  The  bungalows 
of  the  wealthy  are  built  in  the  manner  best 
calculated  to  secure  the  greatest  comfort : — 
lattices  and  blinds  keep  out  the  sun’s  rays 


INDIA. 


47 


and  admit  any  breeze  that  may  be  astir, 
while  overhead  a huge  punka  or  fan  is  ‘kept 
always  in  motion  by  the  Hindoo  servants. 
Everywhere  in  India  is  seen  the  punka — 
in  private  houses,  in  business  offices,  and 
even  in  churches.  Servants  are  employed 
in  numbers  which  astonish  us  who  live  in 
colder  climes.  Fortunately  a very  small  sum 
of  money  contents  them,  or  the  expense  of 
living  would  be  truly  enormous.  “ A family 
however  small,  living  in  any  style,  must  have 
a kansumay  a butler  or  steward  ; kitmiigary 
a head  table  servant,  beside  a table  servant 
for  every  member  of  the  family;  bobageCy  or 
cook;  meetay  man  sweeper;  metraney 
sweeper ; musalchey  to  clean  knives  and  forks ; 
surdaTy  head  bearer,  with  eight  common 
bearers,  if  he  keeps  a palanquin,  to  pull  pun- 
ka, etc  ; durwaiiy  gate  keeper ; dobeyy  wash- 


48 


INDIA 


erwoman ; bfiestie,  to  bring  water ; abdar^  to 
cool  the  water ; chuprasse,  a confidential  naes* 


BHESTIE. 


scngcr  ; coolies,  to  carry  marketing  and  other 
burdens ; chokedar,  watchman  ; if  he  keeps  a 
carriage  he  must  have  a gharry-walla,  or 


INDIA. 


5^ 


coachman,  with  a syce^  or  groom  for  each 
horse,  who  runs  with  the  horse,  and  so  on, 
almost  without  end.  Some  of  the  servants 
must  be  Mohammedans,  for  the  Hindoos  will 
not  touch  certain  dishes,  and  the  Moham- 
medans too  have  antipathies  which  must  be 
consulted.” 

The  natives,  however,  do  not  seem  to 
find  the  heat  any  inconvenience ; and  their 
houses,  so  far  from  being  fitted  with  arrange- 
ments for  comfort,  are  in  the  case  of  the 
lower  classes,  squalid  and  miserable. 

It  is  only  in  the  last  twenty  years  that 
railways  have  been  introduced  into  India; 
before  that  time  all  travel  was  slow  and 
wearisome.  Though  the  English  soon  in- 
troduced carriages ; yet  in  many  parts  of 
the  great  empire  there  were  either  no  roads, 
or  such  as  would  break  to  pieces  any  vehicle 


INDIA, 


5» 


unless  especially  made  for  such  rough  work. 
Horses  were  by  no  means  plenty  nor  of  the 
best.  The  native  vehicles  are  curious  affairs. 


BULLOCK  GARRY. 


'I'he  bullock  garry  is  one  of  the  most  comfort- 
able of  these,  and  as  the  animals  are  trained 
to  their  work,  a much  better  rate  of  speed  is 


INDIA 


53 


often  kept  up,  than  would  be  supposed. 
Another  curious  vehicle  is  the  palanquin  ; a 


long  box  in  whch  the  rider  cannot  sit  up  with 
comfort,  but  lies  stretched  at  full  lenr^th 

o 


54 


INDIA. 


while  relays  of  coolies  taking  it  up  by  means 
of  poles  at  either  end,  carry  it  swiftly  on 
through  the  night.  Nearly  all  travelling  is 
done  in  India  at  night  on  account  of-  the 
heat  during  the  day,  and  curiously  enough, 
travellers  carry  their  own  bedding.  At 
intervals  along  the  roadside  are  built  bunga- 
lows for  their  reception,  but  these  contain 
merely  bare  rooms  where  an  attendant  in 
charge  spreads  out  the  mattresses  of  the 
traveller  and  furnishes  either  rice  or  coffee 
or  more  often  only  a fire  on  which  to  cook 
the  food  which  the  provident  wayfarer  has 
brought  with  him. 

Sometimes  in  those  days  of  no  railways, 
when  the  voyage  was  up  the  Ganges  or  the 
Indus  or  some  of  the  many  rivers  of  the 
land,  it  was  made  in  boats  driven  against  the 
currents  by  poles  and  helped  along  by  favor- 


« 


INDIA 


57 


in^  breezes,  to  court  wliich  clumsy  sails  were 
raised.  The  length  of  time  thus  taken  was 


thatched  boat. 


very  great,  but  time  to  the  Hindoo  or  Mo- 
I'ammcdan  is  of  the  sliglUcst  importance. 
«'id  to  all  the  impatience  of  the  traveller 


58 


INDIA, 


there  could  be  but  one  answer,  it  was  the 
will  of  God. 

But  the  strangest  of  vehicles  on  the  land 
and  the  strangest  of  boats  on  the  sea,  are  the 
one  man  bullock  cart  of  Bombay,  and  the 


A BOMBAY  ONE-MAN  CART. 

small  sail  boat  seen  off  the  Malabai  coast, 
which,  of  tiny  dimensions  but  bearing  a huge 
sail  and  cariyung  only  one  man  who  wears  the 
gigantic  hat,  so  common  to  the  Hindoo,  pre- 
sents the  appearance  to  be  seen  in  the  picture 


INDIA. 


59 


Of  course,  all  these  primitive  vehicles  are 
thrown  into  the  shade  by  the  gigantic  rail- 
ways that  now  traverse  the  whole  length  and 
breadth  of  the  country.  The  scene  at  an 
Indian  railway  station  is  often  curious  and 
amusing  enough.  The  natives  who  intend  to 


travel  “ assemble  hours  before  the  time  of 
starting ; and  squat  down  and  smoke  theit 
pipes  till  the  hour  arrives.  Then  they  rush 
to  and  fro  in  earnest  excitement,  dragging 
their  children,  conveying  pots  and  pans,  beds 
and  bedding,  as  they  yell  and  jabber.  With 
looks  of  frantic  despair  they  crush  and  push 


6o 


INDIA. 


along  in  a continuous  turbaned  stream  ; and 
wholly  forgetful  for  the  moment  of  all  caste 
distinctions,  they  pour  into  the  place  assigned 
to  them.  Should  a high  caste  man  discover 
to  his  anguish  that  he  has  to  enter  a compart- 
ment already  to  all  appearance  crammed  with 
low  caste  or  no  caste  men,  it  is  in  vain  that  he 
turns  and  shrinks  back.  The  English  guaid 
pushes  him  in,  locks  the  door,  whistles  sharpl\ 
and  waves  his  hand,  crying,  ‘ All  right.’  Puff 
puff,  goes  the  engine,  whirling  off  more  than  .» 
dozen  carriages  filled  with  Brahmins  and 
Sudras,  holy  and  unholy,  twice  born  and  low 
born,  along  the  iron  path  of  destiny  at  fiv«^ 
and  twenty  miles  an  hour.” 

One  of  the  greatest  drawbacks  to  life  in 
India  is  the  great  number  of  poisonous  snakes 
that  are  found.  They  creep  into  the  houses 
and  even  into  the  beds  ; they  drop  down  from 


INDIA, 


63 


the  thatched  roofs  ; they  lie  coiled  up  in  the 
roadways,  and  are  everywhere.  It  seems  al- 


THE  COBRA. 


most  incredible,  but  nearly  forty  thousand 


64 


INDIA. 


people  die  every  year  from  their  bites.  From 
such  a scourge  there  seems  no  way  of  escape 

An  account  is  given  by  a recent  traveller^ 
of  a most  singular  rite,  which  he  saw  cele- 
brated at  Bombay,  called  the  Feast  of 
Serpents.  Upon  a certain  day  in  July  or 
August  of  each  year,  great  numbers  of 
people  assemble  in  an  open  part  of  the  city 
Here  come  long  processions  of  women, 
draped  in  rich  silk  veils.  On  all  sides,  the 
palanquins  of  wealthy  Brahmins  stand  about, 
while  over  the  heads  of  the  great  crowd 
float  huge  standards  and  torches  of  flaming 
pitch. 

In  the  centre  of  all  this  throng,  are  sev- 
eral hundred  serpent  charmers,  each  of  whom 
has  with  him  several  of  the  deadly  cobras 
in  a basket.  The  pious  Hindoos  bring  to 
them  bowls  of  buffalo  milk,  of  which  the 


INDIA. 


67 


serpents  are  very  fond  ; thus  seeking  to 
propitiate  the  dreaded  enemy,  and  to  secure 
safety  from  their  wrath.  Each  bowl  is  soon 
surrounded  by  the  snakes,  who  drink 
eagerly  until  removed  by  their  masters, 
when  their  rage  is  terrible.  The  glaring 
of  the  torches,  the  crowd  of  spectators,  the 
twisting  slimy  serpents,  and  the  nearly 
naked  figures  of  the  charmers,  go  to  make  up 
a picture  to  be  found  nowhere  out  of  India. 

Hardly  less  destructive  than  the  serpents 
are  wild  beasts.  In  a single  province  the 
deaths  averaged  nearly  twenty-five  hundred 
a year  from  them.  Tigers,  wolves,  and 
leopards,  are  the  greatest  destroyers 
Though  the  government  offers  rewards  for 
the  heads  of  all  these,  yet  the  natives 
hardly  ever  dare  to  kill  one,  as  they  look 
upon  them  as  gods,  whose  wrath  is  to  be 


68 


INDIA. 


feared,  and  when  a district  is  visited  b> 
them,  make  but  little  if  any  effort  to  rid 
themselves  of  their  enemies.  In  this  way 
a single  tiger  killed  in  a short  time,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  people,  and 
caused  all  journeyings  on  the  highways  to 
cease.  Another  despatched  one  hundred 
and  fifty  persons  in  three  years,  forcing  the 
people  to  desert  the  villages,  and  throwing 
out  of  cultivation  two  hundred  and  fifty 
square  miles  of  territory. 

A most  royal  tiger  hunt  was  arranged 
only  a few  years  since,  for  an  English 
nobleman  who.  was  visiting  India.  The 
party  set  out  attended  by  several  native 
princes,  wdth  four  hundred  elephants,  and 
after  riding  for  a time,  reached  the  jungle  in 
'vhich  a tiger  was  known  to  be.  The  long 
line  of  elephants  was  wheeled  about  so  as  to 


INDIA. 


69 


form  a circle,  the  command  ‘ forward  ’ was 
given,  and  the  whole  body  advanced  till  their 
sides  touched,  forming  a solid  ring,  inside  of 
which  among  the  tall  grass  the  tiger  could  be 
heard  moving  about.  Several  times  the 
trapped  beast  attempted  to  escape  through 
the  ranks  of  his  enemies,  but  the  living  wall 
stood  firm,  and  a bullet  soon  ended  his  career. 

Almost  as  singular  a hunt  as  this  was 
once  given  by  the  Guicowar  of  Baroda,  one  of 
the  native  princes,  to  a French  traveller  who 
was  staying  at  his  court.  This,  however,  was 
an  antelope  hunt,  to  which  the  party  went  on 
horseback,  and  the  game  was  captured  by 
the  cheetah,  or  hunting  leopard.  As  the 
place  of  rendezvous  was  at  some  distance  from 
the  town,  they  reached  it  by  the  railway ; the 
prudent  prince  causing  his  chief  minister  to 
ride  upon  the  engine,  thinking  thereby  to 


70 


INDIA. 


insure  his  own  safety  from  possible  accident. 
Arrived  on  the  ground,  the  cheetah  was 
borne  in  a palanquin,  his  eyes  covered  with  a 
leather  hood,  upon  the  shoulders  of  servants, 
to  the  scene  of  action.  Soon  a herd  of  ante- 
lopes was  discovered,  and  the  party  getting  to 
leeward  of  the  game,  lest  they  should  be 
scented,  the  cheetah  was  loosed.  Stealing 
quietly  along,  he  was  soon  near  the  herd  ; 'but 
they  saw  their  danger  and  took  to  flight. 
Too  late ! — the  agile  beast  made  one  or 
two  leaps  forward  and  fastened  upon  his 
victim’s  throat.  The  attendants  rushed  for- 
ward covered  his  eyes  again  with  the  hood, 
dragged  him  with  difficulty  from  his  intended 
feast,  and  the  hunt  was  resumed.  With  such 
an  ally,  the  hunter  almost  never  returns 
empty  handed. 

It  is  in  the  north  of  India,  near  the 


INDIA. 


73 


Himalayas,  that  the  most  wild  beasts  are 
found  ; for  here  amid  the  wild  recesses  of  the 
mountains  they  are  more  secure  from  man. 
The  traveller  in  these  regions  is  always  beset 
by  eager  applications  on  the  part  of  bands  of 
natives,  to  enter  his  service  to  shout  and 
thus  frighten  off  any  tiger  that  may  be 
lying  in  wait  for  him. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  such  drawbacks, 
there  is  no  mountain  scenery  in  the  world 
which  is  finer.  Far  above  him  tower  the  snow- 
capped peaks  of  the  Himalayas;  their  sum- 
mits seeming  to  support  the  skies,  while  as 
he  looks  down  from  the  narrow  road  creeping 
around  the  mountain  side,  where  often  a 
single  misstep  would  send  him  headlong  hun- 
dreds of  feet,  he  can  see  far  beneath  in  the 
valley  a roaring  stream.  Possibly  he  may 
Mot  view  the  river  rushing  through  the  gorges 


74 


INDIA, 


with  the  same  feeling  of  admiration  that  he 
would,  did  he  not  know  that  soon  the  path 


'.vill  descend,  and  that  the  only  bridge  is  a 
wicker  basket,  hung  from  a rope,  in  which 
he  must  cross  the  raging  flood. 


CHAPTER  III. 


J’NDIA  was  long  ago  celebrated  for  her 
great  cities.  In  the  Ramayan,  an  epic 
composed  some  ten  or  eleven  centuries  before 
Christ,  we  read  of  the  great  city  Palibothra, 
ten  miles  in  length  and  two  in  breadth,  with 
its  sixty  gates  and  its  mighty  walls  capped 
by  five  hundred  towers,  and  though  the  mod- 
ern cities  cannot  boast  such  grand  proportions 
as  this,  they  are  many  in  number  and  of 
goodly  size.  The  traveller  from  America  or 
Euiope  looks  with  artonishment  upon  many 
strange  sights.  Here  is  the  adjutant,  a great 
bird,  which,  nearly  as  tall  as  himself,  stands 
solemnly  in  the  streets  on  one  leg,  heedless 
of  the  hurrying  throng  about  him.  Kites 


INDIA. 


76 

and  crows  in  vast  flocks  fairly  darken  the 
air,  while  their  ceaseless  caw,  caw,  is  never 
ended.  These  are  the  scavengers  of  the 
town,  devouring  all  the  garbage  thrown  into 
the  streets  and  not  hesitating  where  a tempt- 
ing morsel  is  too  openly  displayed  by  some 
careless  marketman,  to  swoop  down  suddenly 
and  carry  it  off  in  their  talons.  At  night  the 
sleep  of  the  new  comer  is  broken  by  fiendish 
shrieks  and  screams  which  make  the  blood 
run  cold.  The  hyenas  whom  the  light  of  day 
has  driven  into  sewers  and  other  hiding 
places,  have  ventured  out  in  the  darkness  to 
seek  their  food,  and  with  their  human-like 
voices  make  night  hideous.  Some  one  has 
interpreted  theii  language  thus:  “Here’s 

a dead  Hindoo,”  howls  an  advanced  guard. 
“ Where,  where,”  bark  all  the  pack,  and  then 
all  break  out  into  the  chorus : “ We’ll  gnaw 


INDIA, 


77 


his  bones.”  Through  all  these  nocturnal  ser- 
enades, the  native  Indian  sleeps  as  peacefully 
as  if  no  sound  were  uttered. 


STREET,  CALCUTTA  ; EUROPEAN  QUARTERS. 


Calcutta  has  all  these  doubtful  attractions, 


78 


INDIA. 


hut  fortunately  does  not  depend  upon  them 
alone  for  its  claim  to  notice.  As  the  capital 
of  modern  India,  it  is  the  headquarters  of  the 
government,  and  its  streets  are  no  more 
strangers  to  the  handsome  carriages  of  its 
English  residents,  than  to  the  more  primitive 
native  vehicles.  Perhaps  the  difference  be- 
tween an  English  and  an  Indian  city,  is  better 
shown  by  the  two  contrasting  pictures  which 
we  here  give,  one  of  the  native  quarters  and 
the  other  of  a street  in  the  European  section, 
than  by  any  written  description. 

Calcutta  long  held  the  position  of  chief 
city  of  India,  but  its  supremacy  has  of  late 
been  disputed.  Its  position  is  a great  disad- 
vantage to  its  commerce.  One  hundred 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Hoogly,  large 
vessels  find  it  often  no  easy  task  to  reach  its 
docks ; while  the  dangers  to  which  it  is  ex- 


INDIA, 


8i 


posed  from  the  visits  of  the  dreaded  cyclone 
are  a great  injury  to  it. 

“ During  my  stay  in  Calcutta,”  says  a 


late  traveller,  ‘‘  I witnessed  one  of  these  cy- 
clones of  lesser  violence.  Since  the  preccu- 
ing  evening  the  barometers  had  undergone 
tolerably  sharp  oscillations,  and  at  one  o’clock 


$2 


INDIA. 


in  the  afternoon  the  sky,  in  which  a brilliant 
sun  had  shone  since  the  morning,  became 
overcast  with  clouds  with  astonishing  rapid- 
ity. I was  on  the  esplanade,  and  imme 
diately  on  these  first  symptoms,  became 
aware  of  a great  movement  in  the  roadstead : 
the  vessels  were  lowering  their  topgallant 
masts  and  yards,  and  seemed  to  be  getting 
ready  for  a struggle.  Suddenly  on  looking 
around  me  I saw  every  one  taking  to  flight 
and  running  as  though  pursued  by  some 
enemy.  Nevertheless  the  air  was  still  and 
calm,  and  I could  scarcely  understand  the 
panic,  when  at  the  extreme  end  of  the 
esplanade  I distinguished  a cloud  of  grayish 
dust  advancing  along  the  ground  with  great 
rapidity.  I took  to  running  in  my  turn,  and 
with  a certain  degree  of  alarm,  for  I all  at 
once  found  myself  absolutely  alone  in  the 


INDIA. 


83 


vast  plain  and  I had  to  cross  over  several 
hundred  yards  before  I could  reach  shelter 
of  houses.  I was  on  the  point  of  gaining 
one,  when  I heard  cries  behind  me  and  turn- 
ing round,  at  ten  paces  off  I saw  a palanquin 
set  down  in  the  middle  of  the  road  ; the 
porters  had  run  away  and  abandoned  a poor 
English  lady,  who  in  her  fright  did  not  know 
how  to  get  out  of  her  vehicle.  At  the 
moment  I was  about  to  render  her  assistance, 
the  dust  overtook  us  ; I felt  myself  enveloped 
and  pressed  by  an  invisible  force,  then  my 
feet  left  the  ground  and  I fell  to  earth. 
When  I half  raised  myself  the  dust  had 
disappeared,  but  the  rain  was  falling  in  tor- 
rents, and  the  wind  blew  with  a violence 
that  prevented  me  from  standing  upright. 
The  poor  lady  had  succeed(id  in  getting  out 
of  her  palanquin,  which  the  wind  dashed 


INDIA. 


against  the  balustrade  of  the  esplanade,  and 
she  lay  on  the  ground  much  frightened.  1 
succeeded  in  approaching  her,  half  dragging 
myself  along,  and  when  I had  raised  her 
we  were  able  by  mutual  help,  to  reach  a 
hotel  in  a neighboring  street.  I had  a great 
deal  of  trouble  in  getting  them  to  open  to 
us,  for  all  the  doors  and  windows  had  been 
carefully  barricaded.  For  a quarter  of  an 
hour  the  violence  of  the  wind  continued  on 
a progressive  scale  ; at  last  the  walls  began 
to  vibrate  in  such  an  alarming  manner,  that 
the  hotel  keeper  assembled  every  one  in  a 
room  that  generally  occupies  the  centre  of 
all  the  houses  in  Calcutta,  and  the  very 
thick  walls  of  which,  cyclone  proof,  were  built 
in  such  a manner  as  not  to  suffer  in  the  event 
r f the  rest  of  the  house  falling.  Most  fortu* 
itely  we  had  not  occasion  for  making  trial 


INDIA. 


85 


of  the  solidity  of  this  last  refuge  , the  wind 
lowered  sensibly  ; the  rolling  of  the  thundei 


and  the  dazzling  brilliancy  of  the  lightning 
which  accompanied  the  rain  from  the  begin- 
ning, ceased  in  their  turn,  and  in  a few  mo 


86 


INDIA. 


merits  a calm  succeeded,  and  the  skies  became 
blue  and  limpid  again  as  though  nothing  had 

happened.  The  streets  however  presented  a 
mournful  spectacle ; tiles  and  branches  of 
trees,  signboards,  fragments  of  palanquins, 
and  garments,  bestrewed  them  froln  end  to 
end.  Among  the  rubbish  might  be  seen 
hundreds  of  dead  crows,  buzzards,  kites, 
which  had  not  been  able  to  resist  the  wind 
and  had  been  dashed  against  the  houses.’’ 
The  cities  which,  like  Calcutta  and  Bom- 
bay, have  been  largely  built  by  European 
traffic,  are  of  far  less  interest  than  those 
which  in  central  and  northern  India  have  stood 
almost  unchanged  for  the  last  thousand  years. 
Such  is  Benares,  the  holy  city  of  India,  and 
to  every  pious  Hindoo  the  most  sacred  spot 
in  the  world.  As  the  ancient  Egyptian 
looked  on  the  Isle  of  Philae,  so  the  Hindoo 


INDIA. 


87 


tHnks  of  Benares.  No  matter  how  vile  his 
caste,  or  what  his  life,  he  who  dies  within  ten 
miles  of  this  sacred  city  finds  an  immediate 
entrance  to  paradise ; and  when  in  the 
course  of  events  it  becomes  necessary  for  him 
to  re-enter  again  the  form  of  man,  his  soul 
will  occupy  the  body  of  a Brahmin.  The 
sick  and  dying  are  brought  from  miles  to  die 
upon  this  holy  spot,  and  the  sickening  fumes 
of  the  burning  ghauts,  where  their  remains 
arc  consumed  to  ashes,  never  die  away  night 
or  day.  A column  of  black  smoke  always 
hangs  over  it ; while  amid  the  livid  flames 
that  flash  up  from  the  burning  piles,  can  be 
seen  the  naked  figures  of  the  attendants  at 
their  ghastly  work. 

The  streets  of  Benares  are  crowded  with 
long  trains  of  pilgrims,  who  come  not  only 
from  all  parts  of  India  but  even  from  China 


88 


INDIA. 


and  Siam,  to  pay  their  devotions  and  thus 


A'ipe  away  their  sins.  The  traveller  who 


INDIA. 


S9 


approaches  the  city  at  sunrise,  by  the  river, 
sees  a strange  sight.  When  the  first  rays  of 
the  rising  sun  gild  the  spires  of  the  temples, 
the  vast  crowds  of  pilgrims  plunge  into  the 
sacred  stream,  and  wash  themselves  with  its 
purifying  waters.  The'  Brahmins  seated 
upon  the  shore,  sell  them  certificates  of 
purification,  and  otherwise  encourage  them  in 
this  pious  task,  while  down  the  terraced  bank 
come  other  Pilgrims  to  follow  their  example. 

The  city  as  seen  from  the  river  is  won- 
derfully beautiful.  The  high  bluff  on  which 
it  is  built  is  terraced  to  the  water’s  edge, 
while  the  palaces  of  many  native  princes, 
and  the  spires  of  temples  everywhere  over- 
hang the  stream. 

When  we  have  climbed  the  many  steps, 
and  are  in  the  city  itself,  we  find  our  wondei 
increased.  No  street  is  wide  enough  to  ad- 


90 


INDIA. 


mit  a carriage,  and  through  many  of  them  an 
elephant  could  not  pass,  while  the  lofty 
houses  with  interlacing  balconies  nearly  shut 
out  the  light  from  the  roadway.  The  trav- 
eller’s steps  are  not  made  more  pleasant 
by  the  prospect  of  meeting  at  any  moment 
one  of  the  sacred  bulls,  which  roam  at  will 
about  the  streets  and  at  their  pleasure 
forage  upon  any  unfortunate  shopkeeper, 
for  none  dare  oppose  them.  At  one  time 
the  number  of  these  bulls  was  so  great,  that 
it  became  necessary  for  the  English  govern- 
ment to  take  some  steps  for  their  removal. 
To  have  killed  them,  would  have  outraged 
the  feelings  of  every  Hindoo,  and  have  raised 
a riot,  so  they  were  carefully  driven  out  into 
the  jungles  to  graze,  where  the  tigers,  who 
did  not  recognize  their  sacred  character, 
soon  disposed  of  them.  Monkeys,  too,  in 


! 


L 


r, 

» 

S • \ 

i ■ 


} 


K 

•i 


• . • *•  I-  ’ 


i 


4- 


A 


ij .. 


‘ V 


"7 


< 


- 


/ 


► :>-u. 


I 


INDIA, 


93 


Benares  are  held  sacred,  and  certain  parts 


STREET  IX  BENARES. 

of  the  city  fairly  swarm  with  them.  Ok 


94 


INDIA. 


all  sides  rise  the  temples.  Here,  its  en- 
trance crowded  with  eager  worshippers,  is 

the  temple  of  Siva,  while  close  beside  it 

% 

stands  another  building  in  which  is  the 
Well  of  Wisdom.  Around  this  the  devout 
worshippers  press,  and  drink  its  not  over- 
clean waters  which  a Brahmin  draws  for 
them,  while  a short  distance  away  another 
twice-born  son  of  Brahma  dispenses  the  | 
miracle-producing  waters  of  the  Well  of 
Munikurnika  to  a no  less  zealous  throng. 

When  a Brahmin  has  a dispute  with  any  i 
one  not  of  his  own  caste,  and  satisfaction  is 
not  given,  he  takes  the  singular  mode  of  ob- 

I 

taining  redress,  called  “ sitting  in  dharna.'' 
Taking  his  seat  in  front  of  his  enemy’s  door  | 
he  refuses  to  eat  or  drink  until  his  claim  is 

I 

satisfied,  and  persists  in  this  even  till  death 
ensues.  Since  in  the  popular  belief,  lii.s 


INDIA. 


95 


enemy  would  be  considered  his  murderer, 
and  as  the  murderer  of  a Brahmim'  will  be  not 
only  haunted  by  the  ghost  of  the  slain  in  this 
world,  but  be  doomed  to  endless  tortures  in 
hell,  it  is  not  often  that  the  Brahmin  fails  to 
come  off  victorious.  This  encounter  was 
once  held  on  a mighty  scale  at  Benares.  The 
English  government  had  ordered  a tax  levied 
on  houses,  till  then  an  unheard  of  proceeding 
in  India.  The  Brahmins  became  excited 
Next  year,  they  said,  it  will  be  a tax  on  our 
wives  and  children.  So  sending  out  word  into 
the  country,  they  assembled  in  vast  crowds  and 
to  the  number  of  three  hundred  thousand  sat 
in  dharna  in  the  plain  about  the  city.  But 
they  had  chosen  an  unfortunate  adversary,  for 
the  English  officials  not  being  fearful  of  being 
haunted  by  the  ghosts  of  this  army  while 
living  or  suffering  the  torture  promised  in  the 


90 


INDIA. 


next  world,  made  no  move  to  yield.  A tre»- 
mendous  rain  coming  after  the  sitters  had 
begun  to  feel  very  strong  pangs  of  hunger, 
increased  the  dissensions  that  had  arisen,  and 
the  host  broke  up  in  confusion.  The  gov- 
ernment, however,  thought  it  judicious  to 
abandon  the  tax,  so  that  the  sitters  in  dharna 
came  ofT  conquerors  after  all. 

\Vh  en  the  Mohammedan  conquerors  over- 
ran India,  they  became  masters  of  a peo[)le, 
who,  having  for  centuries  lived  in  peace,  had 
accumulated  great  wealth,  which,  was  now  to 
be  given  over  to  their  new  masters.  These 
Mohammedan  dynasties  were  on  a scale  of 
magnificence  unknown  at  the  present  day,  and 
a most  substantial  proof  of  this  is  the  won- 
derful buildings  which  they  have  left  be- 
hind them.  Nearly  all  the  cities  of  Northern 
Ind  ia  are  thus  distinguished.  The  Taj  at 


INDIA. 


97 


Agra,  is  believed  to  be  the  most  beautiful 
building  in  existence.  It  was  raised  by  Shah 
Jehan,  and  is  the  monument  which  he  built 
in  memory  of  a wife,  to  whom  he  ever 
offered  the  greatest  devotion  when  living, 
and  over  whose  tomb  he  shed  many  a tear. 
The  graves  of  the  two  lovers  are  side  by  side 
in  the  centre  of  the  building,  while  nearly  two 
hundred  feet  above  the;i:  is  the  lofty  dome 
that  covers  their  last  resting  place.  The 
walls  within  are  carved  in  the  most  beautiful 
manner,  while  a marble  screen  that  surrounds 
the  tombs  is  so  exquisitely  cut  as  to  resem- 
ble lace.  Bouquets  of  flowers,  and  running 
vines,  are  formed  by  the  insertion  of  precious 
stones,  and  the  whole  of  the  Koran  is  thus 
inset  in  the  walls.  All  this  is,  without  and 
within,  of  the  whitest  marble,  and  though  now 
so  many  hundred  years  have  passed  since  it 


98 


INDIA 


was  erected,  not  a stain  sullies  its  snow-white 


surface.  To  build  this  tomb,  twenty  thou- 
sand men  labored  more  than  twenty  years. 
Shah  Jehan  could  easily  afford  to  spend  fif- 


INDIA. 


99 


teen  millions  of  dollars  in  this  way,  for  his 
wealth  was  enormous.  He  dispensed  justice 
and  ruled  his  realms,  seated  upon  a throne  the 
description  of  which  reads  like  a passage  from 
fairy-land.  “ The  throne  was  six  feet  long, 
and  four  feet  broad,  composed  of  solid  gold, 
inlaid  with  precious  gems.  It  was  surmounted 
by  a gold  canopy  supported  on  twelve  pillars 
of  the  same  material.  Around  the  canopy 
hung  a fringe  of  pearls:  on  each  side  of  the 
throne  stood  two  chattahs,  or  umbrellas,  sym- 
bols of  royalty,  formed  of  crimson  velvet  ricli- 
ly  embroidered  with  gold  thread  and  pearls, 
and  with  handles  of  solid  gold  eight  feet  long, 
studded  with  diamonds.  The  back  of  the 
throne  was  a representation  of  the  expanded 
tail  of  a peacock,  the  natural  colors  of  which 
were  imitated  by  sapphires,  rubies,  emeralds 
and  other  brilliant  gems.  Its  value  was  esti- 


lOO 


INDIA. 


mated  by  Tavernier,  a French  jeweller,  who 
saw  it  in  its  perfection,  at  over  thirty  mil- 
lions of  dollars.”  The  grandfather  of  this 
rich  prince  left  in  his  treasury  at  his  death, 
jewels,  plate  and  other  treasures  valued  at 
three  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  dollars. 

There  is  almost  always  another  side  to 
such  a picture  as  this,  and  a sad  one.  That 
one  man  might  thus  live  in  grandeur,  how 
many  died  in  misery.  How  tarnished  the 
precious  stones  appear  when  they  seem  to 
symbolize  each  the  groan  of  a slave  or  the 
sighing  of  the  prisoner  and  the  captive. 

The  Guicowar  of  Baroda,  a prince  of  our 
own  day  and  one  who  lived  in  something  of 
the  reckless  extravagance  of  the  early  dynast- 
ties,  lately  formed  a plan  to  recruit  his  finan- 
ces which  may  perhaps  give  us  a clew  to  one 
of  the  ways  in  which  all  this  wealth  was 
• gained.  To  place  a new  tax  upon  his  people 


INDIA. 


lOl 


would  be  useless,  for  they  had  nought  where- 
with to  pay  it.  He  therefore  turned  to  the 
officers  of  his  court,  and  issued  an  edict 
ordering  under  pain  of  severe  measures  that 
every  one  return  to  the  royal  treasury  with- 
in a specified  time,  the  money  which  during 
the  past  ten  years  he  had  stolen  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties.  Each  man,  uncertain 
v/hether  his  sovereign  possessed  secret  proof 
of  his  wrong  doing,  hastened  to  obey,  and  at 
the  end  of  the  time,  the  lucky  prince  found 
his  treasury  again  full. 

Shah  Jehan  was  not  content  with  erect- 
ing  great  buildings  alone,  he  even  founded 
cities.  Delhi,  formerly  called  Shahjehana- 
bad,  was  built  by  him.  Its  name  is  widely 
known  from  the  bloody  deeds  that  have  been 
wrought  there  in  our  day. 

In  the  year  1857.  'pearly  the  whole  of 


2 


INDIA. 


India  rose  in  a revolt  against  the  English 
rule.  Though  signs  of  coming  danger  had 
not  been  wanting,  the  uprising  found  no  one 
prepared.  In  the  whole  country  there  were 
but  thirty  thousand  English  troops  to  hold  in 
subjection  two  hundred  millions.  The  blow 
fell  suddenly.  At  Meerut  on  a Sunday 
evening  in  Ma}%  when  all  the  English  sol- 
diers were  at  church,  the  native  regihients 
mutinied,  opened  the  jails  letting  loose  all 
within,  and  the  work  of  death  began.  Man, 
woman  or  child  that  belonged  to  the  hated 
race  was  cut  down  without  mercy,  while  the 
night  was  everywhere  lighted  by  the  fires 
that  destroyed  their  dwellings.  The  work 
was  soon  over.  A few  made  their  escape  out 
of  the  city,  but  within  all  was  death  and 
desolation. 

Roused  by  the  taste  of  blood  the  muti- 


INDIA. 


103 


neers  set  out  for  Delhi  arriving  at  its  walls 
the  next  morning.  The  same  scenes  of 
violence  were  repeated  here,  and  so  rapidly  did 
the  revolt  spread  that  in  a few  weeks  nearly 
all  India  was  in  open  mutiny.  After  the 
outbreak  had  taken  place  men  remembered 
many  signs  of  the  coming  trouble,  and  won- 
dered that  they  could  have  been  blind  to 
their  deadly  meaning.  We  read  in  the  history 
of  the  Scottish  border  of  the  fiery  cross  and 
how,  when  danger  threatened,  it  was  passed 
from  man  to  man  throughout  the  land,  till 
every  one  had  armed  himself.  In  just  this 
way  it  was  remembered  that  in  India  the 
chapathi,  a cake  of  flour  of  a peculiar  shape, 
had  been  passed  from  village  to  village 
tliroughout  the  whole  land,  as  if  to  give 
warning  of  a coming  danger. 

The  English  at  Delhi,  that  were  so  for 


104 


INDIA. 


tunate  as  to  escape  the  first  fierce  onslaught 
of  the  mutineers,  fled  to  a ridge  outside  the 
city  and  fortified  their  position  as  well  as 
possible.  Escape  was  out  of  the  question. 
They  were  miles  from  any  place  of  safety, 
their  only  hope  was  to  defend  themselves  till 
rescue  came.  The  government  knowing  that 
the  capture  of  the  city  was  of  the  utmost 
importance  strained  every  nerve  to  get  to- 
gether a force  that  should  retake  it,  and 
every  man  that  could  be  spared  was  sent  to 
join  the  brave  defenders  of  the  ridge  outside 
of  Delhi.  For  three  months  they  withstood 
the  attacks  of  forces  ten  times  their  number, 
until  in  September  reinforcements  arrived, 
and  the  besieged  became  the  besiegers  and 
advanced  against  the  city.  A forlorn  hope 
carrying  bags  of  powder  advanced  to  its 
walls.  The  powder  was  thrown  down,  a fuse 


INDIA. 


107 


lighted,  a terrific  explosion  shattered  the 
great  gates  and  before  the  mutineers  fairly 
realized  the  state  of  affairs,  the  English  were 
in  the  city,  and  Delhi  was  retaken. 

Dreadful  as  were  the  scenes  at  Meerut 
and  Delhi,  it  was  at  Cawnpore  that  the  most 
terrible  tragedy  of  the  mutiny  took  place. 
In  an  open  plain,  protected  only  by  an 
earthwork  five  feet  in  height  and  exposed  to 
the  full  heat  of  the  tropic  sun,  seven  hundred 
men,  women  and  children  took  refuge  when 
the  storm  burst  upon  them.  For  twenty 
days  this  handful  kept  at  bay  the  force  of 
enemies  around  them,  working  their  guns 
without  ceasing  until  at  last  their  number  was 
so  lessened  by  death  that  resistance  seemed 
hopeless.  A safe  passage  by  boat  to  Allaha- 
bad was  promised  them  and  they  surrendered. 
The  next  day  they  were  marched  down  to 


io8 


INDIA. 


the  laird ing  place,  shown  in  the  picture, 
where  the  boats  were  waiting  that  were 
to  carry  them  to  safety.  Wounded  and 
weary  they  toiled  along  under  the  blazing 
sun,  their  hearts  heavy  within  them  as  tliey 
thought  of  the  friends  that  had  died  in  their 
arms,  but  hopeful  as  they  looked  forward  to 
being  soon  in  safety.  Their  hope  was  short- 
lived. Hardly  had  the  first  ranks  stepped 
upon  the  boats,  when  a*  deadly  fire  was 
opened  upon  them  from  every  side.  One 
hundred  women  and  children,  when  the 
slaucditer  ceased,  were  taken'  back  wounded 
and  bleeding  and  shut  up  together  in  one 
barrack.  A few  days  later  when  the  Eng- 
lish troops  retook  Cawnpore  and  sought  for 
th.eir  countrymen  they  found  only  their 
mangled  remains.  Every  one  had  been  ruth- 


INDIA. 


1 1 I 


lessly  killed  and  their  bodies  thrown  togethei 
into  a well  near  their  prison. 

Such  were  the  horrors  which  every  city 
of  northern  India  saw.  The  mutineers  had, 
however,  defied  a power  whose  strength  they 
did  not  know.  In  one  year  the  authority  of 
England  was  entirely  restored,  while  thou- 
sands of  the  rebels  had  fallen  in  battle  or  had 
been  put  to  death  for  their  crimes.  Years 
of  quiet  have  followed  this  bloody  outbreak, 
and  the  memory  of  its  dark  deeds  has  nearly 
died  away  except  in  the  hearts  of'  those 
whose  friends  fell  in  the  storm.  The  long 
interval  that  has  passed  has  been  devoted  tc 
the  arts  of  peace,  and  the  days  of  terror  arc 
things  of  the  past. 


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